


2001

by Exterminatorviolence



Category: National Football League RPF
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Rookie Tom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 20:38:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11066676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Exterminatorviolence/pseuds/Exterminatorviolence
Summary: Thousands of recent college graduates watch the NFL Draft with baited breath, hoping beyond hope that they might be picked in one of the seven rounds by a team. Tom Brady is one of them, recently graduating from Michigan after leading the Wolverines to an overtime win in the Orange Bowl. He just needs a shot.(Basically, this is just the 2001 season with the added touch of a completely false relationship between Tom and Drew. It begins in the off season before the 2001 season and follows this false relationship and the strains the 2001 season brought it.)





	2001

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SlytherinQueen021](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherinQueen021/gifts).



> I shouldn't be allowed to keep my laptop. Who keeps letting me do these things? 
> 
> This has kinda been in the works for a little while now, mainly for SlytherinQueen021, and also for myself indulgence because I love them. This is a lot like Burst and Bloom on the scale of me feeling really embarrassed about this.

Thousands of recent college graduates watch the NFL Draft with baited breath, hoping beyond hope that they might be picked in one of the seven rounds by a team. Tom Brady is one of them, recently graduating from Michigan after leading the Wolverines to an overtime win in the Orange Bowl. 

When the San Francisco 49ers pass on him the first time it stings. It doesn’t surprise him, but it still hurts nonetheless. He grew up idolizing that team and the guys who played on it and he feels almost betrayed by the snub. By the fourth round, he’s too restless, so he gets up and goes for a walk around the neighborhood with his parents who are so supportive. He starts to think about what he might do for the rest of his life that isn’t football. He knows he could make it in the NFL, has the drive and the talent, he just needs a shot. 

His shot comes in the sixth round, the 199th pick, when he gets a phone call from the New England Patriots. It’s not the San Francisco 49ers, but it’s a shot and that’s all that matters. His parents cry and his sisters hug him and for once, he has a purpose. A future.  
\-----  
He introduces himself to the owner, Robert Kraft, on the first day of training camp. 

“Hi, Mr. Kraft, I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Tom Brady.” 

“I know who you are, you’re our sixth round draft pick.” 

He nods. “That’s right. And I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.” He doesn’t mean it in an arrogant sort of way, he just wants Mr. Kraft to know that he won’t regret the decision. 

He’s under no illusion that he’s guaranteed any sort of job, knows that he’s not even going to be competition to the starter, Drew Bledsoe and his 100 million dollar contract. He’s just happy he gets a chance.

He’s confident he’ll get a spot on the roster two weeks into training camp and he calls his agent saying he wants to buy a house. 

“What?!” His agent cries. “Focus on getting on the roster first.” 

“Don’t worry about it, I’m gonna get a spot on the team.” He assures, confident.

He does get a spot on the team, the fourth string quarterback, and he only sees the field a couple times, completing one throw in his rookie year. Drew takes to him more than the other backups, teaching him how to throw a ball harder and read a defense and he looks at Drew as a mentor and a friend by the end of the 2000 season.

He’s surprised when Drew invites him over to his house a week into the off season. He’s even more surprised when he learns that the older man isn’t taken. He asks him about it, any girlfriend or boyfriend, trying to sound casual and figuring he’s probably failing when Drew gives him a weird look. 

Being from San Mateo and visiting San Francisco a lot, Tom didn’t see things like sexuality as a cut and dry thing, long accepting the fact that he thinks guys are just as attractive as girls. He hasn’t told anyone yet because, well, it’s not really anyone’s business but his own, but he’s also scared. He doesn’t know many people well in Boston and what if the other players find out and don’t like having him in the locker room and he loses his roster spot?

“Boyfriend?” Drew asks, looking up from the playbook he has open on the table to look at him. 

He shrugs a shoulder. “Well, you never know.” He says quietly. Then, “Can I tell you something?” 

Drew’s attention is firmly on him now, playbook forgotten. “Of course.”

He debates saying something else, forgetting about the whole thing and talking about anything else. He knows Drew wouldn’t press him and they could both forget that this almost conversation happened. He looks to Drew and the sincere look in his eyes has him opening his mouth and saying, “Sometimes I...Do you ever think guys are, you know, good looking?” 

Drew’s eyebrows furrow. “I, uh, what?” It’s obvious that’s not what he was expecting.

He shrugs again, looking down at the table and away from Drew’s eyes. “Nevermind.” He says quickly.

“Do  _ you  _ think guys are good looking?” Drew asks cautiously. 

He can feel his face heat up. “Sometimes.” 

Drew raises an eyebrow. “You wanna talk about it?” He says it so genuinely that it makes Tom want to cry a little.

“Not if it makes you uncomfortable.” 

“It won’t make me uncomfortable. I messed around with my roommate in college who was gay. At least, I think he was into guys. Was into me well enough.” 

Tom smiles, endeared by the fact that Drew is trying to make him open up. “There’s nothing to really talk about. It wasn’t a big deal in California, everyone is pretty liberal and open over there. My parents never asked about it, so no one really knows. Well, apart from you now.” 

“Well I won’t tell anyone if that’s what you’re worried about.” Drew says, looking a little hurt that Tom might assume he’d do something like that. 

Tom is quick to correct him. “No, no, I’m not scared you’re gonna out me or something. It’s just nerve wracking to say it out loud. I’ve never actually told anyone before.” He smiles, something a little desperate and a little manic, but it’s a smile nonetheless. 

“Oh. Well I’m glad you trust me enough then.” Drew smiles back, a smile much more natural and relaxed than Tom’s own. 

And then that’s that. Drew goes back to looking at the playbook and teaching Tom the plays and how the offense operates. Tom nods along, casting Drew sidelong looks, wondering how Drew felt when he experimented with guys. Wonders if he’d want to again. Specifically now. More specifically with him. 

Drew looks at him expectantly and he feels his face flush just a bit when he realizes that Drew has asked him a question. 

“What?” 

Drew rolls his eyes fondly and points to the playbook. “What play call is this?” 

Tom looks at the page, sees a list of plays and signals run through his head. “In the gun, empty right.” 

Drew smiles at him. “Good job.” 

It continues like this; Drew quizzing Tom on the different offensive plays and Tom answering all of them correctly. He doesn’t mention that he’s studied the playbook cover to cover, just accepts the praise that Drew gives him.

When it starts to get late, six o’clock ticking over to seven o’clock, and Tom is rubbing at his eyes only seeing x’s and o’s and arrows, Drew suggests they stop. 

“You doing anything tomorrow?” Drew asks suddenly. 

“Uh, no. Why?” 

“You wanna do something? Get a drink or something?” 

“Why, Drew,” Tom teases. “Are you asking me on a date?” He revels in the blush that decorates Drew’s cheeks. 

“Don’t flatter yourself, Brady,” Drew answers. “It’ll take more than a year as my backup’s backup for me to take you out on a date.”

Tom knows that it’s not meant as anything. At least not anything that he wants it to mean. He can’t even get Drew to call him by his first name yet. 

“Well if you’re not gonna wine and dine me, what do you have planned?” 

“Just hanging out” Drew answers simply. 

“Just hanging out.” Tom repeats. It’s kind of like a date and he can fool himself into thinking it’s something more than it is. And, like hanging out is good thing, Tom’s not stupid, he knows that bonding more with Drew will help him move up on that roster. Maybe it sounds a little manipulative, but he doesn’t mean it that way...just...if Drew wants to “bond” with him and it leads to either him getting lucky or moving up a roster spot, then all the better.

It's not until he's at home does he realize he actually  _ does  _ have plans tomorrow with his sister. He curses and calls her. 

“Hello?”

“Hey, sis, so uh, I'm gonna need to cancel on lunch tomorrow. I'm really sorry.” He apologizes.

His sister sighs. “It’s fine. We can reschedule.” 

“Really, I’m sorry. I just…I forgot.” He finishes lamely. 

“It’s fine, really, Tommy. So what got you so flustered you forgot you had plans?” She asks, voice perking up.

“Uh,” He starts. He doesn’t want to really tell his sister what he’s doing, lest she starts making fun of him. “Drew offered to hang out.” 

“Like a date?” 

“God, no, I knew you’d say that. I don’t even know if Drew is anything but straight.” He denies.

“But you wish it was a date?” She asks. And, god, since when has she been so perceptive?

Tom laughs, sounding strained. “No, no, nothing like that. It’s just...it’s an opportunity for me to learn from one of the best. I can’t turn that down.” He explains.

His sister sighs again, softly this time. “I get it. I do. I don’t want you to pass a chance to further your dream.”

“You are the best.” He says, emphatically.

"I know. I’m the best sister.” 

He doesn’t argue with her and hangs up to her laughing.  
\-----  
He’s embarrassed to say that he already has his shoes on when there’s a knock on the door from Drew. He does wait a minute before answering, he doesn’t want to seem  _ that  _ desperate. He is grateful that he’s at least cleaned up the entryway to his house.

“Yeah. You’ll be the perfect pocket quarterback by the end.” 

“I  _ am _ a pocket quarterback,” Tom defends. “Just not a  _ starting  _ pocket quarterback.” 

Drew huffs out a small laugh. “Well, just learn from me and you’ll be a starter in no time.” 

He rolls his eyes not unkindly. “Uh huh, a sixth round pick, sure.” He can hear his sister hissing  _ compliment fisher  _ at him in his mind. She’s right, but when else is he going to get a guaranteed compliment from a Hall of Fame quarterback. 

Luckily, Drew doesn't hear her and says, “Nah, you'll be a Hall of Fame quarterback. You've got talent, you just need to develop.”

It's a genuine compliment and it makes Tom blush. He's happy that Drew is driving and can't look over to see him. The rest of the drive is silent, and Drew pulls into a coffee shop and cuts the engine. 

The coffee shop is quiet, the only sound the March rain beating against the roof causing an almost cozy atmosphere. Tom doesn’t order coffee, tries not to have too much caffeine, but he does order tea to still feel included.

_ Quarterback bonding  _ consists of Tom talking about his college career, winning the Orange Bowl, his first relationship, his first break up, and other personal things that Tom feels don't fit into professional quarterback bonding. He’s not complaining or anything, far from it actually, and then Drew asks how he knew he was bisexual and his brain kind of freezes as he tries to think of an answer.

“Uh, well, I never really discovered it, I guess. I grew up in California, pretty close to San Francisco and everyone was always pretty open about this kind of stuff so it always...just was.” Tom answers, shrugging a shoulder. He hasn’t felt this awkward giving an answer since high school.

Drew doesn’t comment on the awkwardness, just nods and looks like he’s genuinely interested. Which he probably is, because that’s how Drew is, so he asks, “Why the interest? Is it because I told you yesterday? ‘Cause l like, we don’t have to talk about it or anything, that’s not why I asked.”

“Why did you ask then?” Drew counters.

“Uh…” Tom starts. He should really start to think before saying things. “Because when I asked about you dating anyone, I included boyfriend and didn’t think before saying it.” It sounds plausible enough to be true, and it sounds much better than answering, “Well, I wondered if you were single and into guys because I kinda like you”.

“I find it a little hard to believe that you would just forget that kind of thing, but if you don’t wanna tell me, that’s fine.” Drew says, judgement free and taking a sip of coffee.

It makes Tom feel bad, even though he knows that wasn’t Drew’s intentions. He bites his lip, sighing. “It’s just…” He trails off. He can’t say it, can he? “I don’t know.” No, he can’t say it. Drew hums and gives him time to think and compose his thoughts. “It’s just,” He starts again. “Nevermind. It’s stupid.”

“Doubtful, but you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Drew says. Then, “Drink your tea.”

He does as he’s told, grateful to have something to do that might drain away the awkward tension that has seemed to blanket them. The tension doesn’t go away completely, but Drew does his best to steer the conversation towards other things. It’s not his fault that Tom keeps thinking about it and what he could say that would potentially ruin their fragile friendship. 

When Drew drops him off at home, he has to restrain himself from calling his sister for advice. He doesn’t really want to hear her  _ I told you so  _ voice. And he can’t call any of his other sisters, because he knows they’d just tell each other everything. He wouldn’t be surprised if his sister already told his whole family about it.

He should probably try not to think too hard about it and just focus on trying to get a roster spot that’s better than the third string quarterback. He knows he'll overthink the former, rather confident that he can achieve the latter.

**Author's Note:**

> Now back to my other stories I need to update. Embarrassed, yes, but apparently not enough to make this story private.


End file.
